Cannabis Can Successfully Treat Epilepsy in Children, Says New Study

A new study published in this month’s issue of the journal Epilepsy Behavior has found that many parents with epileptic children are turning to cannabis-based medicines to treat their seizures, and in a large majority of instances, it’s successful in doing so.

“Severe childhood epilepsies are characterized by frequent seizures, neurodevelopmental delays, and impaired quality of life. In these treatment-resistant epilepsies, families often seek alternative treatments”, begins the study’s abstract. “This survey explored the use of cannabidiol-enriched cannabis in children with treatment-resistant epilepsy.”

For the study, researchers at the Department of Neurology at Stanford University examined 19 parents who have epileptic children, and who use cannabis-based medicines (such as tinctures and oils) to treat their child’s seizures. The average number of antiepileptic drugs tried before using cannabis was 12.

Researchers found that; “Sixteen (84%) of the 19 parents reported a reduction in their child’s seizure frequency while taking cannabidiol-enriched cannabis. Of these, two (11%) reported complete seizure freedom, eight (42%) reported a greater than 80% reduction in seizure frequency, and six (32%) reported a 25-60% seizure reduction.”

In addition, they found that; “Other beneficial effects included increased alertness, better mood, and improved sleep.” The only reported side effects were “drowsiness and fatigue”.

With this data, researchers conclude that “parents are using cannabidiol-enriched cannabis as a treatment for their children with treatment-resistant epilepsy”.

Recently the U.S. Federal Drug Administration gave approval to several studies intending to test the effectiveness of cannabis-based medicines on the treat of epilepsy in children.